Ttncotjfling-lever



I N. EJHmscH,

UNCOUPLING LEVER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2|. 19w.

Patented May13,1919.

Z SHEETS-SHEET I l 5 J mm q ms NnRRls PETERS ca. FHOTO-LITHO..wAsmNcrcN. u c.

N. E. HIRSCH.

UNCOUPLING LEVER.

APPLlCATlON FILED remzl. m1.

Patented May 13 1919.

2 SHEETSr-SHEET 2.-

23); new

ITED STATES OFFICE.

NICHOLAS E. HIRSCH, 0F FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

UN COUPLINGreLEVER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS E. H msoH, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inUncoupling-Levers, of whichthe following is a specification,

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsin'uncoupling levers for car couplings, and has for an object theproductionof an uncoupling device'of safe, durable and efficientconstruction wherein all tendencies to inadvertently uncouple the cars,or to inflict injury through the accidental manipulation of the deviceare re- .duced to a minimum.

Another object of this invention is to produce an uncoupling deviceincluding among other things, a plurality of independently pivotedlevers, one of said levers being .arranged to effect the operation ofthe other of-said levers when moved in. an upward direction, and not toaffect the said lever when an attempt is made to 'move it in a downwarddirection. Another object of the present invention is the production ofan uncoupling device comprising a single pivot block or casting to whichtwo levers are pivoted so that their smaller arms are opposed to eachother,-a loose connection for relatively operating the levers when oneof said levers is moved 111 211). upward direction, and oppositelydisposed stops carried by the pivot block for limiting the movement ofthe inner opposed arms of the levers.

A further object of the invention is to produce an uncouplingwdevicecomprising a pivoted lever havingta short: arm, another pivoted leverprovided with a short arm in opposed relation to the firstmentionedshort arm, means including a connection for transmittingmovement to one of the short arms from the other short arm in onedirection only, and means including stopping lugs for limiting themovement of the aforesaid short arms.

With these and other objects in view, the invention further consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts hereafter described and pointedout in the appended claims.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration an embodiment of myinvention,

I Specification of Iletters Batent. Patented May 13, 1919. Applicationfiled February 21, 1917. Serial No. 150,181. i

Figure 1 is an end elevation showing the i I relative position of thelevers when the locking pin is dropped to fasten the coupling memberstogether.

Fig. Qis a similar view showing the position ofthe levers when thelocking pin has Ilgeen withdrawn from the coupling memers. v

Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Fig. l is a detailed sectional view on the line 4 l through one of thepivotal connections for the levers.

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 55 of Fig. 3 showing the relativeposition of the opposed arms of the levers, and

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the associated pivot block andcooperating levers. 4 p

This invention has been designed to overcome certain dangers nowincident to uncoupling levers, some of which are the inadvertentuncoupling of the cars by one stepping on one of the levers, and theprobability of seriously injuring one who accidentally steps and .slips,upon one of the levers, which in the form now in use is operable in adownward direction. In the embodiment of my invention herein shown, Iobviate these dangers by providing cooperating levers which will notbeaifected when in locked position by such accidental manipulation.

The present invention comprises, among other things, cooperating levers1 and2 pivoted at '3 and l to the pivot block or casting 5. The lever lis provided with a handle portion 6 and an inner opposed end 7.

The lever 2 is provided with an unlocking arm 8 provided with a hookedend adapted to raise and lower the locking pin '9 within the knucklemember 10, and an inner opposed end 11 cooperatively associated with theinner opposed end 7 of the lever 1. The inner opposed end 11 of thelever 2 is operated by an overhanging portion 12 provided on the saidinner arm 7, the said overhanging portion afli'ording a staple and guid-111g connection for moving the lever 2, and permitting its return to theposition shown in Fig. 1. By this construction it will be seen that anupward movement of the lever 1 in the direction of the arrow shown inFig. 1 of the drawings will cause the inner opposed end. 7 of said leverto depress the inner opposed arm 11 of thelever 2, thereby elevating thearm 8 of said lever and raising the locking bolt 9. When the bolt iselevated the cooperating levers are in the position shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings.

Cooperating with the inner opposed ends 7 and 11 are the lugs or stops13 and 14:, respectively, carried by the pivot block or casting 5. Thepurpose of the stop 13 is to limit the downward movement of the lever 1and prevent any movement thereof should an accidental manipulationthereof in a downward direction be attempted. The purpose of the stop 14is to limit the movement of the lever 2 when elevated, as hereinbeforedescribed. It will also be seen that any movement of the arm 8 of thelever 2 in a downward direction when the levers are in locked positionwill be prevented.

The pivotal connections 3 and 4 of the levers 1 and 2 comprise pins orbolts 15 and 16, respectively, extending through the pivot block 5 andsecuring the latter to thesill of the car by suitable nuts 17. Cotterpins 18 and washers 19 are also shown as pivotally holding the levers 1and 2 to the pivot block 5.

In operation it will be seen" that as the handle 6 of the lever 1 ismoved in an upward direction the inner opposed end 7 carrying theoverhanging portion 12 will depress the inner opposed end 11 of thelever 2 and elevate the arm 8, thereby unlocking the coupling members. Amovement of the lever 1 in the opposite direction will effect thelowering of the locking pin 9 within the knuckle member 10, as will bereadily understood. When the levers are in the position shown in Fig. 1withthe locking pin in place it will be seen that no downward movementcan be imparted through the handle end 6 to the lever 1 because of theabutting of the upper edge of the inner opposed end 7 of said leveragainst the lug 13. In this position it will be seen that the inneropposed end 11 of the lever 2 is free to move should the arm 8 of saidlever be lifted in an upward direction. It will also be seen that anymovement of the arm 8 in a downward direction will be prevented becauseof the upper edge of the inner opposed arm 11 copies of this patent maybe obtained forflve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofPatents,

abutting against the overhanging portion 12 of the lever 1 which isagainst the lug 13.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that an efficient uncoupling leverhas been produced wherein but a single movement can be transmitted forunlocking the coupling and, that such movement must be in an upwarddirection. It will also be apparent that the relative arrangement of theopposed inner arms of the cooperating levers and the respective stopstherefor carried by the pivotal block for the said levers afiordscertain structural and economic advantages heretofore unknown.

What I claim is:

1. An uncoupling mechanism of the class described including incombination a pivot block provided with oppositely disposed stops, alever pivoted to said block having an inner end operable between saidstops, and another lever pivoted to said block having an inner endadapted to loosely engage the inner end of the first mentioned lever foroperating it in one direction between said stops.

2. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplings including in combination apivot block provided with an upper stop and a lower stop oppositelydisposed with "relation to each other, a lever pivoted to said block forraising and lowering the pin of the coupling mechanism, said leverincluding an inner end movable between the aforesaid stops, and anotherlever pivoted to said block for operating the first mentioned lever,said lever comprising an inner end having an overhanging engagingportion adapted to bear on the inner arm of the first mentioned leverfor moving it in one direction against the lower stop, the said innerend of the second mentioned lever being adapted to abut against theupper stop when the pin of the .car couplings is in its lowermostposition.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

NICHOLAS E. HIRSCH.

Witnesses:

J. MEDLWARD, MATTIE G. STIRLING.

Washington, D. 0.

